An expected, yet unexpected journey
by Spyro Ninja
Summary: What if Red didn't come from Pallet town? What if his parents were killed when he was 3? What if he was saved by a pokemon professor? Please R&R... I suck at summaries. OOCness.


I've never been the type of person to allow someone to help me. Only once, just once, had it ever happened.

My parents were killed, I never did find out the reason why… To tell you the truth I've never actually met them, well, I might have, but I don't remember.

I was abandoned by them, or so I believed. I was only 3 years old and my parents 'committed suicide', or so they said. I never believed them; those people in blue uniforms that call themselves police just for the recognition, because when you're a policeman, everyone trusts you. Not me, though. Well, one would figure after being involved in countless crimes, even if they weren't small, they're all on my record.

It was Professor Spruce was the one who saved me. Figuratively and literately; I had just stolen some bread from the bakery of Turcofine Village and I was being chased by this old police hag. She was yelling some gibberish at me, it was Professor Spruce who saved me that time; she told the hag that I was buying it for her and that she was going to come down and pay her later, and that I was meant to tell her that. It wasn't really all that much of a big deal, though, if I _did _happen to get caught I would've been humiliated.

I could've saved myself, but looking back, maybe it was better that Prof Spruce saved me… I mean, what would have become of me if I hadn't stopped then? Would I have become worse? Or would I have managed to save myself? No, I don't think so. Anyway, I'm still grateful that Professor Spruce rescued me. I regret that I was too arrogant to thank her at the time.

We ran into each other a couple of times after that, but it was only when she saw me getting beaten up by a bunch of drunken men that she took me in for good. I knew that I would become a hindrance to her if I stayed with her, so I attempted to run away a couple of times, but to no prevail. She found me each time, no matter where I hid, she'd always find me. I kind of hated that.

At that time, I didn't really care about pokémon at all, heck, I got attacked by them a couple of times so I guess you could say I didn't particularly like them, but I never hated them.

At the age of 7, I finally realised that instead of running away from being a hindrance, I should just stop altogether, so, I went to school, made some friends, and now here I am, four years later, shocked as Professor Spruce hands me a pokeball and tells me to go on a never ending journey with it to realise my dreams.

Okay, well, maybe that's not _exactly _how it went, but it's close enough.

I was sitting on the couch watching television after graduation. At this point, I was 11, at my age most kids started their pokémon journey after graduating from the local trainer school… After living with a Professor that studied pokémon her whole life, I grew to love and understand them. Knowing each and every 649 pokémon, it makes it _just_ that much easier. I was the top of my class the whole way through school, right until graduation. It _was _funny, each time Prof came to pick me up after school all of the kids would be gobsmacked, though, I did get a lot of bullying because of it, mainly just people whining that they don't have a pokémon professor as their guardian. Nonetheless, this was still a shock, I mean, yeah, I went to a trainer's school, but that didn't mean that I wanted to become one, did it!? Well, I guess for people with common sense, it does… Okay _maybe _this was _somewhat _my fault.

"What's in it?" I asked with a questioning look up at her.

"A pokeball, what else would it be?" She rolled her eyes at my stupidity. I rolled them right back at her.

"No kidding, but what's _in _it?" I sighed.

"A pokémon, _duh_, what else would be in there, a medal for your stupidity?" She emphasised the 'duh' a little too much for my liking. It's _on._

"Maybe, or maybe it could be a medal for '_Most annoying professor in the world.'_" I smirked, she smirked back.

"Oh believe me, there are plenty more annoying professors than _me. _How could you say something like that to your own mother? I'm hurt, Red." She dramatized, pretending to cry.

"You're not my mother. Jeez, anyway, what _species _of pokémon is in here?" I was about to give up on this conversation and just take the pokeball and leave, it didn't really matter _what _was in it, it's not like I would get a choice to keep it or not.

"A Pikachu, I only caught it earlier today when I accidently walked on its tail, so I doubt that it's tame." She glanced at the ball, trying to think of whether or not it was a good idea to give it to an eleven year old.

I have to say, I wasn't expecting much, a Pikachu was better than I thought it would be.

"Oh but if you don't want it, you can have Charmander, Bulbasaur or Squirtle if you want." She rushed, thinking that how I was staring at the ball meant I wasn't impressed.

"No, I like Pikachu; it'll give me a bit of challenge. If I'm going to go on a journey, I'd rather not _only _the pokémon get stronger, you know?" I wasn't lying, I totally prefer Pikachu over the other three, I could have gotten just about any starter I wanted, but I chose Pikachu, and an untamed one at that.

"I understand. I'll send you over to Pallet town on Friday to start your journey, so pack a bag and say goodbye to all your friends, you've only got three days to do that, alright?" She smiled at me knowingly. You know that 'mom smile' that every mom has? Yeah, well, she knows it, too, even without having her own children.

I guess I _could _count as one of her children, but I don't see it that way.

I took the pokeball and released the Pikachu… It didn't seem to like me that much; it didn't seem to like _anyone _actually. I went into the lab and got some pokémon food for it, it ate it all in one go. Must've been hungry, it ate a whole can of food, not that I'm complaining; it did seem to settle down quite a bit after that.

And so, the next day I decided that I would go out and train it, or just get it to like me. I went to the grassy area in front of the village's main hall and found some wild Pidgey. I sent out Pikachu with hopes that it would obey me.

"Go, Pikachu." I called out in a monotone voice; I was never the type of person for catchphrases or things like that.

"Pika pi?" It looked around, seemingly confused as to why it was no longer inside and was now in a patch of grass with a Pidgey in front of it.

"Use Thunderbolt on the Pidgey and keep attacking till it faints." I commanded, Pikachu obeyed and used thunderbolt on the bird pokémon. It was supereffective; Pidgey fainted after only one move.

I picked it up and took it to the pokémon centre. I didn't want to catch any pokémon from here, there would be stronger ones in Pallet town or whatever that place is called.

After checking the Pidgey into the pokémon centre and wasting valuable time explaining why I wouldn't be coming back for it to the Nurse Joy at the counter, I went home to pack my bag for Friday. Tomorrow I would be training and then on Friday I would leave. I've always loved travelling, though; I never really got to do it much as a kid. I was always helping around the lab and going to school so I never had the time, or money, for that matter.

Before going home I went to the pokemarket to buy some things for my journey, I didn't want to spend too much but in the end I spent my whole allowance that I saved up over the past few weeks. I bought some potions, pokeballs, escape ropes, repels etc. I didn't see the need to buy any berries as I could just get them from the berry farm outside the lab.

I was having a nice time until some kid that has always hated me because I was smarter, taller and better looking came up to me and started talking to me.

"Hey, guess what, _I _got a pokémon, and _you _don't! I'm starting my pokémon journey next week and _you're _not! Sucks to be you, you have to stay here for the rest of your pathetic life and waste away to nothing!" He poked his tongue out at me and waited for my reply.

"Well, _you _seem to be excited to start your journey _next week. _I start mine on _Friday_" I smirked, the look on the kid's face as I announced that I was going to start my journey _before _him was hysterical, that's what he gets for being too full of himself and trying to put others down.

I walked away from the gobsmacked kid, I waited until he couldn't see me anymore to burst into laughter, the people around me looked at me as if I were an alien from outer space, that just made me laugh even more. I hadn't laughed like this for as long as I can remember.

I got home and the scent of bacon filled the air. Bacon for dinner, hellyes, Professor Spruce knows me all too well.

As if on cue, she walked in with a plate full of sizzling, crispy bacon.

"Want some?" She asked, knowing my answer already.

"Who wouldn't?" I replied.

"Thought so, I also got you some spare clothes for your journey, and Professor Oak, which is the professor there, told me to let you know that when you get there his grandson who is the same age as you will show you around town." She explained as I took 5 pieces of bacon and put them on my plate.

"Is his grandson one of those 'I'm related to a professor, bow down to me' kind of person?" I really hated those types of people, they got on my nerves. Being a professor's relative isn't something you should take for granted.

"I don't know, but seeing that he's the renowned Professor Oak's grandson he probably is, though it isn't really his fault, he was probably surrounded by famous people and paparazzi his whole life and that wouldn't help his personality too much, so you'd expect him to be at least a little full of himself." She smiled, thanking the lord that I never turned out like that. Well, it's not like she's unbearably famous or anything. "Finish eating and go pack your bag; I assume you've already bought all of your potions and stuff?" She asked.

"Yeah I spent my whole allowance that I saved up." I replied as I finished my bacon and went got up to wash my plate in the kitchen.

"I thought that might happen, so I'll be giving you some money for your journey. You'll also earn money from winning battles." By this time we were both in the kitchen, I was washing she was drying and putting away.

I walked up the stairs and packed my bag, my room isn't really anything special, so it isn't worth mentioning. I finished packing my bag, had a shower and went to bed, today was a long day.

The next morning I woke up, today I was going out to train with Pikachu. I grabbed the pokeball off my desk and just before running outside I remembered that pokémon have to eat, too. Running down the stairs, I realise that I could just go into the lab and find some electric type food, so I do. Pikachu seemed to like the food, which was a good sign. I took another can of food in case Pikachu stopped obeying or went on a rampage or something.

I ran outside with Pikachu, he didn't seem to like his pokeball very much so I decided that he could stay out with me. After defeating 50 wild Pidgey I thought I was off to a good start, Pikachu was already levels ahead of the first gym in Pewter, and that meant I could spend my time in Route 1 training other pokémon I catch instead of having to train Pikachu.

It was now sunset and the village had a beautiful orange colour to it. I headed home after healing Pikachu at the pokémon centre. I never really noticed, but this village is really pretty at sunset. You can see the orange coloured ocean sparkling, the street lights have been turned on and if you go to the centre of town where the fountain is, it looks amazing. I don't know why I never noticed, maybe that saying 'you never notice what you have until it's gone' is true.

Tomorrow I am going to an unknown place with strong pokémon; I'm setting out on a journey that just about every kid takes, only to have their dreams crushed. But I won't, I'm not going to stand for my dreams being crushed, it _won't _happen, even if it does, I won't believe it.

I got home and made sure I had everything packed; I had a shower then went downstairs to have one last proper talk with Professor Spruce before I leave.

"I thought you might come down here to talk." She was smiling, obviously sad about the parting, but she was strong willed and tried not to show it. "You know, I'm really going to miss having you around." She said as I sat down in the chair across from her.

"I think I'm going to miss having you around, too. There'll be no one there to tell me what to do and what not to do." I replied.

That was when she started crying. I didn't intend to make her cry, but it's good that she got it out. I went over and hugged her; this was probably only the second or third time I've ever done it. This made her cry more, but I felt that it was tears of happiness that were falling onto her lap now. I was getting pretty emotional myself and didn't want to end up letting her see me cry, that was the _main _reason I hugged her, well, that's what I convinced myself. I think the _real _reason I hugged her was because I was like her son, she was like a mother to me, the only one I've ever had in my life to depend on, and now I was leaving her. The thoughts tugged at my heart, I couldn't hold them back anymore, a single tear dropped from my eye. "I really will miss you, mom." She cried, cried until she no longer could, until there were no tears left in her eyes. I shed a few tears myself, mind you, but nowhere near as many as her. That was the first time, and the last time, I ever called her mom.

She fell asleep in my arms and I dragged her into her room and pulled the blankets over her as she slept like a baby.

I walked back up the stairs and went to bed, tomorrow would be even harder than today, but I won't cry tomorrow. I won't and once I've decided on something, that's that and there's no changing my mind.

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**Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it, please review! Sorry if it doesn't make sense...**


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